Point, Counterpoint
by Winterluna
Summary: Opposing persuasion essays assigned last year that I decided to post now. About the men in Jane Austen's novels.


**Point**

You stare at your bookshelf wondering what you should read next. As you peruse the titles, your eyes catch the spine reading "Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen." With a small smile, you pull it off the shelf and hold it close as you return to your reading spot. You open it gently to the first page; the spine is bent and the pages yellowed. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." This line describes Mr. Darcy's position at the beginning of the novel: rich and available. Appealing combination. If you read Jane Austen's other novels, all the men are conveniently rich and available: Mr. Knightley, Edward Ferrars, Captain Wentworth.

But if the men were simply rich, there would be no romantic appeal. Austen provides us with dissuading examples of those attachments: the Eltons, the Palmers, the Willoughbys. So there must be something more to them. Most wait the entire novel to get the girl. Captain Wentworth waits eight years! Mr. Knightley is respectful in his patience, an additional quality. He awaits the day Emma would return his feelings, but he shows no direct indication until the very end. This patience shows perseverance and strength of mind. It also demonstrates reliability.

Reliability can also be shown through giving. Tithing and donating money to charity is common among citizens of a community. But magnanimity requires going the metaphorical "extra mile." Common to Austen novels, it entails settling person troubles with no aforethought of money or personal infringement. Mr. Darcy corrects the scandal of Bennet family by hosting the wedding of Wickham and Lydia Bennet and paying an annum. Frank Churchill gifts Jane Fairfax with a pianoforte as she cannot afford one. Colonel Brandon attends to Marianne Dashwood in every respect despite her initial disinterest in him. And that is the very reason she eventually marries him.

Perhaps it's the declination of amiable men, or perhaps it creates the standards for a husband, but it is the appeal of patient, rich, magnanimous (and conveniently available) men that that entice women back to the yellowed, torn, revered novels of Jane Austen.

**Counterpoint**

Colonel Brandon is aged and hovers over Marianne Dashwood. Edward Ferrars breaks his promise to Lucy Steele to marry Elinor Dashwood. Mr. Bingley is a bumbling idiot who cannot express words properly. Frank Churchill misleads everyone in Highbury by flirting with Emma Woodhouse while engaged to Jane Fairfax. Summarily, the men of Jane Austen's novels are unappealing.

Even the most popular revolt readers. Mr. Darcy, unarguably the most famous man Austen created, has a lot of faults. He separates lovers Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley, his friend, because she is of inferior birth. Then he offers Elizabeth Bennet his hand; a match even wider in social standing than Bingley's and Jane's. He's a hypocrite! Darcy states this proudly to Elizabeth Bennet: "Good opinion, once lost, is lost forever." He can't even forgive! Quite offensive traits in a man.

Jane Austen, when writing _Emma_, said she wanted to create a heroine no one would like but herself. Her audience has loved Emma, but what about the men? Upon his return to Highbury, Frank Churchill flirts with Emma. He helps her to put on a ball and encourages her liveliness. He does this in front of his secret intended! How is Jane Fairfax not disillusioned sooner about her frivolous fiancé? Similarly, Edward Ferrars is engaged to Lucy at the beginning of the novel. He doesn't seem to be upset by losing her as a fiancée. The first thing he does is visit Elinor Dashwood to propose to her. No woman wants to be regarded that cold-heartedly.

Mr. Elton denies Harriet Smith because of her lack of fortune. It's debatable that the only reason he loves Emma is because of her fortune. He eventually marries a rich woman but is annoyed with her shortly after the wedding. It's a good thing he's off the market: who'd want a man like that?

Despite being twice her age, Colonel Brandon won't leave poor Marianne alone. Nor will he tell Marianne that Willoughby, the man she fell in love with, refuses to care for his illegitimate child in his quest for money. If he truly loved her, he wouldn't subject her to waiting for an answer from him. She could have recovered and moved on much sooner.

But the colonel might be saved if Willoughby weren't solely after money. Sexual pleasure is understandable, which would explain the illegitimate child. But he doesn't do the right thing after impregnating the mother by supporting her financially because it would expose a scandal. Having an illegitimate child would revoke the possibility of marrying into fortune. Neither will he propose to Marianne because she's of little fortune. All in all, money dominated his heart more than duty or a woman.

These men mar the beauty of Jane Austen's language. Promise-breakers, meddlers, and general sleaze-balls all, none of the men, save for the heroines' fathers, are worthy of the women they court.


End file.
